Cultural group donates to widows at end of year party

The Numana Development Association (NDA) Abuja branch, during their Arak Family meeting held in Auta Balefi, Nasarawa State, donated bags of rice, cooking oil, wrappers children’s clothes and undisclosed amount of money to over 30 widows last Saturday. Chairman of the Arak Family, national, Mr. Andy Vekummonjah, said  the occasion is done annually to celebrate […]

The Numana Development Association (NDA) Abuja branch, during their Arak Family meeting held in Auta Balefi, Nasarawa State, donated bags of rice, cooking oil, wrappers children’s clothes and undisclosed amount of money to over 30 widows last Saturday.

Chairman of the Arak Family, national, Mr. Andy Vekummonjah, said  the occasion is done annually to celebrate the end of year where other tribes are also invited to felicitate with them.

He said the donations to the widows was a yearly affair, which is meant to assist them celebrate the yuletide joyfully.

“You know their husbands are no longer with them and as Christmas draws near, we use the avenue to donate to them so they will not feel much over the absence of their husbands,” he said.

“We come together to celebrate, to relate and show love to one another, which I see as a great achievement.

“It’s another way of promoting our cultural heritage and most at times our politicians are here to encourage them and also caution them on their wrong doings,” Vekummonjah added.

He appreciated the Chairman of Jema’a Local Government, Kaduna State, Mr. Peter Danjuma Averik, who is also from the Arak clan, for the development he has brought to his people.

“In his tenure, he has recorded so much development by providing electricity for villages, construction of roads and helping the widows. So, we use this avenue to appreciate him for what he has been doing. After his tenure as chairman, by God’s grace, 2023 he will press for the Senate.

Mr Verik who also spoke at the event, said the meeting was an avenue to encourage his people, the Numana ethnic group, who are natives of Jema’a and  Sanga local governments in Kaduna and Akwanga in Nasarawa States, to work hard and advance politically and economically.

“Politically, my people are still lagging behind but we’re making efforts to be more involved in political activities and also seek for political offices,” he said.

He enjoined the people to embrace peace, stressing that dialogue was key in engendering harmonious co-existence among diverse ethnicities.

Asked what he has been doing to bring peace between his ethnic group and others, he said:“We’ve been making efforts to have town hall meetings to make people come together and see the need to live in peace. By the grace of God, people are listening to us and are avoiding reprisal attacks whenever there’s a misunderstanding.

“Also, we try to be fair and just by taking everyone along. You see, whenever people are not carried along, they tend to agitate which can breach peace. So, we try to be fair and also encourage them to be talking to each other. That has made the situation better than it was in terms of peace.”

He also professed his love for his culture, saying it is a unique one.

“I grew up in the village and I am conversant with tradition and cultural dances. I was in love and still in love with it. God chose me to come to this world through this tribe and culture. I shall never deny my people or culture anywhere in the world. I am very proud of them and I will always identify myself with them. That’s the more reason why when I got to know about this event, I saw the need to identify with them and to encourage them.

“We encourage such activities like this one to be carried out periodically and be documented such that it can be preserved from going into extinction,” he added.